This invention relates to chronometers for displaying the time of day and more particularly to timekeeping methods and apparatus for discouraging tardiness.
Many people have great difficulty being xe2x80x9con timexe2x80x9d for scheduled appointments and meeting deadlines. To encourage punctuality, such people often intentionally set their clocks ahead by a short interval, say ten minutes, in the hope of being more nearly on-time even when the timepiece indicates that they are xe2x80x9clate.xe2x80x9d Unfortunately, this practice is often be self-defeating: since the timepiece is known to have been intentionally advanced, it is disregarded, particularly when the person is heavily distracted by current tasks which are perceived to be important.
It is therefor an object of the present invention to encourage punctuality.
As contemplated by the invention, means-are incorporated into a timepiece, such as a wall clock, alarm clock or wristwatch, for indicating a time of day which is normally ahead of the actual time by an intentionally added error interval, but which intermittently indicates approximately the correct time of day. For example, an electronic wristwatch might display a time of day ten minutes ahead of actual time for 23 minutes, and then display approximately correct time for 5 minutes. While the wearer would be aware that the watch normally runs ten minutes fast, the wearer would also be aware that the watch may not be fast but rather be on time when its consulted. In this way, the wearer is discouraged from ignoring the watch""s admonition to be on time.
The magnitude of the intentionally introduced error interval, as well as its duration and its timing, may be randomized. For example, the timepiece may be advanced in a sequence of cycles such that, during each cycle, a random error is introduced so that the time piece runs fast by an error interval having a duration between 5 and 15 minutes, the period during which the timepiece runs fast is a random period lasting from 10 to 30 minutes, and the interval in each cycle during which the time piece displays approximately the correct time may vary randomly from one to eight minutes. By randomizing the magnitude of the introduced time error, and varying the timing at which that error is introduced, the wearer is unable to know, at any given time, whether and by how much the timepiece may be running fast, and hence is discouraged from ignoring the indicated time.
The principles of the invention can be applied to particular advantage to an alarm clock. Frequently, people who have difficulty rising on time in the morning set their alarm clocks to run fast in an effort to get up on time. Knowing the clock is actually fast, however, the user is encouraged to remain in bed. By introducing a random or intermittent time error, however, the user can no longer depend on the knowledge that the clock is set fast, and is hence encouraged to rise promptly.
If desired, the introduction of fast settings may be disabled on predetermined days or during predetermined times of day. For example, a business person may set the watch to run accurately at all times except during business hours (9:00 am to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday) when fast running intervals are intentionally introduced on an intermittent basis.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be better understood by considering the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the course of this description, frequent reference will be made to the attached drawings.